We hear so much these days about the increased risk of miscarriage in older women but now it seems that men who leave it until their mid 30s to start a family are also more likely to lose their unborn child to miscarriage. With statistics showing that more men are leaving it later and later to have children this new research is a stark warning that some of them may be leaving it too late.
Three new studies have suggested that exposure early in life to ‘gender bending’ chemicals used in plastics, baby bottles, non stick pans and water pipes can increase the risk of obesity in adult hood. Experts believe that the chemicals can alter the genes and hormones involved in maintaining a healthy weight and unborn babies and young children are believed to be particularly at risk with just one dose potentially altering metabolism for life. The chemicals include bisphenol A which is found in plastic baby bottles, water bottles and tin cans which has already been linked to an increased risk of early puberty, breast cancer and infertility.
There are women who are lucky enough to sail through the menopause with few or no symptoms but for others the hormonal changes that typically occur in our late forties and early fifties are a source of misery.